May 24, 2023 by Emma Gowen (‘25)
May 20th will be ingrained in my mind forever as the most magical night of my life. With the rain pouring, I stood in the packed stands at Gillette Stadium with all the other fans waiting for Taylor to take the stage. When the two-minute countdown appeared on the Jumbotron, all the fans began to scream. Once the clock struck midnight everyone knew… the Eras Tour concert had officially started!
As I walked up to Gillette that afternoon, I couldn’t help but smile. I had been waiting so long to be there and was just praying that it was going to be as amazing as I hoped. My forearms were covered in friendship bracelets to trade with all the other fans there. The trading of the bracelets occurred all throughout the night, whether it was during the long wait in the merch line or walking to our seats on the other side of the stadium. I ended up with so many by the end of the night. Each one was different but all of them were so very special. They are something I will cherish forever to remind myself of that night.
As I made my way to my seat, I could feel the excitement building. Taylor came onstage at eight and the magical experience began. Beginning with Lover, she sang her way through both the upbeat and slower songs. “You Need to Calm Down” was the most incredible, bringing everyone to their feet. Rainbow lights flashed all around the stadium celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. It was the perfect era to start the concert.
Taylor then moved on to her Fearless album which celebrated the carefree nature of being in your teens. In her golden fringe-covered dress with matching boots she sang her way through “Fearless,” “You Belong With Me,” and “Love Story.” Hearing some of my favorite songs live was an absolute dream and I will never forget what it felt like to belt along to “You Belong With Me” in the pouring rain.
Continuing to her Evermore album, written during the pandemic, Taylor shared with the crowd how excited she was to be able to sing “Champagne Problems” on tour. She really put her heart and soul into playing the piano along with singing it. You could tell that she really loved every moment. It was also amazing to listen to her sing “Marjorie” and be one of the many who turned on their phone flashlights in tribute to Taylor’s grandma–whose voice can be heard in the song.
Never ceasing to amaze me, Taylor began her Reputation era with a huge snake slithering across the Jumbotron screen which was used as both a background and enchanter to her performance. The fans began to cheer and then joined her while she danced and sang in her red sequined pant suit complete with snake embellishments. The finale of her Reputation era was complete with pyrotechnic effects that further added to the intensity.
Although only one song was performed from her Speak Now album, since it will be re-released on July 7th, she picked my favorite song, “Enchanted,” and came onstage looking like a princess in her sparkly ball gown. The next album performed was Red and listening to “All Too Well (10-Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” was just as incredible as I had hoped. She also invited Phoebe Bridgers onstage with her and together they sang through “Nothing New,” which was very sweet to see. Folklore followed and the dress that she wore was stunning. There was no glitter necessary for her to look like a goddess. Taylor ran across the stage in her cream-colored dress with flowing sleeves making sure that she performed to every part of the stadium. Even those in the nosebleeds, like me.
When “Style” began, Taylor had entered my favorite of her many albums: 1989. The rain had slowed a bit during Folklore, but as soon as the beat dropped, all the fans began to sing the chorus, the skies opened, and it began to pour. It was the most magical part of the entire concert. At that point, I was already soaked, so I threw off my poncho hood and just embraced the rain. This made it all the better. I had always loved 1989, but now I have all these memories to go along with it.
Taylor then pulled out her guitar and began to play “Question…?,” which was one of our two surprise songs. Afterwards, she played “Invisible,” a song from her very first album. These songs were the perfect surprise songs, as they framed her career. Listening to her play both the guitar and the piano with just her and all the fans singing was an experience I will never forget.
The night ended perfectly with her most recent album, Midnights. Between the hypnotic screens shown during “Mastermind” and the fact that it was pouring while she sang “Midnight Rain,” it was the best way the night could have gone. She concluded the concert with an amazing performance of “Bejeweled” and “Karma” which are two fan favorites. Regardless of how tired everyone’s legs were, we were all on our feet singing our hearts out. I had the most unforgettable experience and think that every one of her concerts should be a “rain show,” because the deluge that occurred ended up creating a more perfect first concert than I could have asked for.